AYLS – Chapter 78

Instructor Chen felt that ever since Li Ermie went to the farm, she really stopped caring about the household.

He couldn’t help but go complain to Gu Huayuan and the others.

The main reason was that he wanted Gu Huayuan’s wife to help persuade Li Ermie. Whatever Comrade Lin Qiao said, Li Ermie was willing to listen to.

When he arrived, Gu Huayuan was working. Spring had come, and the new land-clearing tasks were about to begin.

As the main force of the land-clearing company, Gu Huayuan had a heavy responsibility. As the company commander, he personally took part, holding a shovel and clearing the land stroke by stroke.

Instructor Chen chirped in his ear about his difficulties, and Gu Huayuan directly handed him the shovel.

Instructor Chen instinctively took it and asked with a puzzled look, “What am I supposed to do with this?”

Gu Huayuan dusted off his hands. “Aren’t you just bored out of your mind? I’m giving you something to do.”

“…I’m serious. Life really isn’t easy right now.”

“I think it’s you who’s not capable,” Gu Huayuan rolled his eyes and went to get his water bottle, wiping the sweat off his face at the same time.

Instructor Chen couldn’t help but comment off-topic: “I’ve noticed your complexion is getting better these days. How come your face is starting to look like a pale scholar’s?”

“…”, Gu Huayuan paused mid-drink, rolled his eyes at him, and said, “It’s winter, haven’t seen the sun at all. How could I not be pale?”

He tightened the bottle cap. “Don’t talk about me. You’ve got quite a problem yourself. Before, when your wife caused a fuss, you were unhappy, but you didn’t complain everywhere. Now there’s no fuss, she’s just not taking care of you, and you start acting all kinds of ways. Old Chen, that’s just not reasonable.”

Instructor Chen: “…Not reasonable how?”

“You see, before it didn’t affect you, so you turned a blind eye. Now she’s not causing trouble, but isn’t taking care of you properly, and you get all upset.”

Hearing Gu Huayuan’s blunt criticism, Instructor Chen felt like he had been struck by lightning.

He widened his eyes to retort, but couldn’t manage a single word. His mind kept asking, Am I really this dark-minded?

Gu Huayuan thumped him twice on the shoulder. “Busy or not, you’re a grown man. You’re not going to starve yourself, are you?”

“…You’re right,” Instructor Chen sighed and asked, “Lin Qiao must be busy too, right? She probably doesn’t have time to cook for you. Shall we just go eat at the cafeteria together?”

“No need. I still need to go home and cook for Lin Qiao. She’s busy. Even if she doesn’t ask for it, I should support her work, right?”

Instructor Chen: “…”

It wasn’t just Li Ermie who was busy—Lin Qiao was busy too, busy making sure the laying hens were fertilized and the eggs hatched into chicks.

For this matter, the logistics department had even issued a notice, saying that in order to quickly expand the farm, this first batch of laying hens would be used to hatch chicks. This was also to ensure a bigger harvest by the end of the year.

When people heard this arrangement, the whole compound started discussing the farm again.

Some came to Lin Qiao to ask if, after the farm expanded, they would be recruiting more people.

Lin Qiao said, “I can’t be sure about that yet, but once the farm expands, things will definitely get busy. It will depend on how the organization arranges it.”

Of course, more people would be recruited!

With Li Ermie as an example, everyone believed recruitment was inevitable. Secretly, everyone started rubbing their hands in anticipation, thinking they had to secure this opportunity.

So that afternoon, when Lin Qiao finished work and went home, many military families came over, bringing food and drinks, sitting down to chat with her, and casually bringing up their interest in learning about poultry farming.

They even pounded their chests and said, “We’re not afraid of hard work. As long as we can learn, that’s enough.”

If it were just one or two, Lin Qiao could handle it. But with so many people, she truly didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t have one person ask this, another person ask that—it would be impossible to manage.

She decided to go talk to Sister-in-law Wang about it.

Sister Zhang said, “I was going to talk to you about this too. These past few days, people have been coming to me about it. Do you have any good ideas? We can’t kill their enthusiasm, right?”

Lin Qiao nodded. “I think the same. After all, they will indeed be needed to help with work in the future.”

Sister Zhang smiled. “How about this: we apply to the logistics department. Every other day, you give everyone a lesson on farm management. You’re the technician at our farm, nobody knows more than you.”

Lin Qiao felt a bit embarrassed. “There are so many people… I’m afraid I won’t teach well. I’m still learning things myself.”

“That’s fine. I think it’s great that you teach them those things. Start with the basics. Later, everyone will accumulate experience through work. They don’t have the experience to learn everything at once.”

Hearing this arrangement, Lin Qiao felt warmed inside. She felt that what she was doing had become even more important.

“Alright, as long as the organization needs it, I’m willing to cooperate.”

Of course, the organization agreed. It wasn’t easy for military families to follow the army here. They had to care for the cadres’ lives while supporting local development.

Setting up the farm was also to help military spouses transition into the livestock industry.

With everyone this enthusiastic, the organization naturally agreed.

Director Jiang immediately called Lin Qiao in for a talk. He said he wanted to promote her and asked if she could handle this task.

Lin Qiao had long been prepared and confidently said she could do the job and would strive to do it well.

“If there’s anything I don’t understand, I’ll go to the provincial farm to ask people. I will make sure everyone learns the farming skills well.”

Director Jiang liked her confident, fearless attitude.

“Good. Since you say that, it’s decided. Start a class every other day in the evening. The organization will provide a subsidy for you.”

Lin Qiao waved her small hands, indicating she didn’t need the subsidy. “I’m volunteering. I want to serve everyone, no need for any subsidy.”

“Comrade Lin Qiao, that’s the spirit!” Director Jiang was extremely pleased. “Do well. We all have high hopes for you.”

Since Lin Qiao didn’t even want the subsidy, the logistics department had nothing else to consider—they just needed to issue a notice.

Starting tomorrow, Comrade Lin Lin Qiao, the farm technician, will conduct training on farming techniques in the activity room. The classes are voluntary; military families who are interested can attend to learn.

The notice required that everyone participating in the training must cherish the learning opportunity and not disturb others in class. They also couldn’t neglect their regular work.

As soon as the notice came out, the compound became lively again. Everyone at home was speculating—was the farm really planning to recruit more people for chicken-raising? Otherwise, why bother setting up a training class?

That evening, while having dinner, Lin Qiao mentioned it to Gu Huayuan. From now on, she’d be even busier, having classes every other day and coming home late at night.

Although Gu Huayuan supported Lin Qiao’s work, he didn’t want her to be overworked. “How long will these classes last? Can you manage?”

“Of course I can! You have to have confidence in me. I’ll also be busy preparing lesson plans at night,” Lin Qiao said proudly.

Seeing her full of determination, Gu Huayuan didn’t dampen her spirit. He could empathize a little with Old Chen… though only because his wife had been ignoring him.

…

The next day, Lin Qiao officially started her new role.

Quite a few people showed up; the activity room was packed, and some were even standing outside listening.

Sister Zhang hadn’t expected so many people to be willing to learn, so she hadn’t made detailed arrangements. Of course, it might just be that the novelty of the first day attracted everyone.

For Lin Qiao, it was simply exciting.

Her first time teaching, and so many people showed up for her class.

She touched her flushed cheeks, thrilled, and began her first teaching experience.

“This course on chicken-raising will start with how to hatch chicks…”

No sooner had she spoken than a military wife raised her hand. “Comrade Lin Qiao, we know how to raise chickens—we’ve done it back home. We already know this.”

“Yes, yes, we all know this,” others echoed. “Why don’t we just talk about raising the chicks directly?”

Lin Qiao opened her mouth, “There are always some who don’t know. I have to go step by step. Besides, what you know might not be exactly the same as what I learned. Everyone, please listen quietly.”

“But we really know! We’ve done it before,” the experienced participants chimed in.

Lin Qiao finally understood what it felt like to teach a class where the students didn’t cooperate.

Li Ermei stood up. “What’s all the shouting about? If you don’t want to listen, leave. The teacher says what she says. Back when we listened to lessons from the instructor, students didn’t dictate what should be taught.”

“Don’t want to listen? Then scram.” It would be best if all of them left and the training class didn’t even happen.

…

Lin Qiao finally understood why the class needed a discipline officer. It was really necessary. Ermei was a friend worth having.

She introduced her: “Comrade Ermei is our class discipline officer. She’s responsible for maintaining order in the training class. Everyone, please cooperate. Otherwise, the class can’t continue.”

Li Ermei wanted to say, “Why bother teaching at all? Might as well not teach.” She had barely managed to learn a few things, and now this bunch showed up, seemingly trying to compete with her.

With Ermei maintaining order, the class became much calmer.

Sister Zhang came by again to check the situation and pointed out the issue of discipline, allowing Lin Qiao to teach in peace.

The first lesson lasted a full hour and a half, and everyone could only leave to rest when they couldn’t endure any longer.

However, many hadn’t finished the first lesson; only about ten people managed to stick it out until the end.

On the way home, Lin Qiao felt a bit dejected. She complained to Gu Huayuan that she hadn’t taught well.

Gu Huayuan poured her some hot water and pinched her cheeks upon hearing this. “Why blame yourself? Couldn’t it be that others weren’t ready to learn? Even Li Ermei is learning chicken-raising from you, and she’s so serious. That proves you’re teaching well.”

“Really? Am I that good?”

“Of course. The organization wouldn’t choose the wrong person,” Gu Huayuan said.

Lin Qiao instantly felt reinvigorated. “Exactly! How could I be bad? As long as I believe I’m good, the ones who aren’t are just others.”

Gu Huayuan coughed. “Thinking that way isn’t bad either.”

Having resolved her worries, Lin Qiao was in a great mood. She soaked her fair, tender feet in a wooden basin, smiling at Gu Huayuan, feeling he looked more attractive the more she saw him.

All her previous efforts hadn’t been wasted. His skin was much better now. She was liking him more and more.